Reacción a "The economic cost of some invasive species may be 1600% higher than previously estimated"

The study reveals that the South American tomato moth, Tuta absoluta, is one of the five most damaging invasive species worldwide, with estimated losses of $45,675 per square kilometer. It has significant impacts on agriculture both in its native land (Argentina) and in over a hundred countries where it has been introduced. In this way, the study helps prioritize where to focus the scarce economic resources currently available globally to reduce the impact of invasive alien species.

The use of tools such as species distribution modeling, which includes relevant variables like land use type, allows researchers to estimate the climatically most suitable areas for invasive alien species and to extrapolate potential damage and associated costs in countries that lack the resources to quantify their impact.

Currently, the best strategy to reduce the high estimated economic costs for insects like T. absoluta remains integrated pest management. This approach combines early detection using pheromone traps, the use of natural enemies, and insecticide rotation. The combination of chemical and biological management strategies is key to reducing insecticide resistance (e.g., chlorantraniliprole and abamectin).

The high estimated costs for this pest could be reduced with the use of parasitoids, natural predators, and light traps. The egg parasitoid Trichogrammatoidea bactrae reaches parasitism rates of over 70%. Additionally, predatory bugs such as Nesidiocoris tenuis and Macrolophus pygmaeus can consume up to 100 eggs and larvae per day and also attack other pests like whiteflies and aphids. At the same time, more resistant tomato varieties are being developed. All of these strategies can help push this species out of the top five.